Sat was my first time there and I must say what's the deal with only serving Bud and stella beer,. So uncool and never heardof in NYC. I like the place very much but being that i love to dance I couldn't because it was way toooooooooooooo packed. I don't if the owner was hungry for money but the place is way too pack and its way too small. Im surprised they don't have emergency exit signs for if there's ever an unpleasant event we are all done. The music was great the dancers are off the hook but come on ppl want to dance without bumping eachother which causes a fight.

I would recommend it to have a drink but not to party its not safe oh and no where to really sit. poor customer service.

Of all the local ""trendy spots"" that are slowly opening up in the area. This is still my favorite, mostly b/c of the music. You will hear spanish pop, rock en espanol, salsa, merengue, hip-hop, dance, house, the works - all in good dosage. It does however get way to crowded which makes it uncomfortable especially when people decide they wanna dance. Overall, if you wanna make it a local night, this is the place to go. Just keep in mind it's more like a club/lounge than a bar.

This place is not what it used to be back in 2001-2002...the music has changed on Fridays and Saturdays and it has lost touch with the cocoler crowd that used to frequent it on those days; the noise level turn intolerable after just a few minutes; I am surprised the police has not visited them with one or two complaints on noise lever violations. In short, head downtown in you dont want to waste your time and money...

a nice place if your into latin music. however it is too small and gets really, really crowded easily. if you go during the summer months be prepared to sweat the A/C is weak. it is more of a bar than a lounge for their is minimal seating space. all in all considering where its located it is a nice place to enjoy some good music surrounded by pretty cool people. of the few lounges in the area it is definitely top three.

Arka is located just north of the GW in Washington Heights. Its probably one of the only cool lounges in that area. Its a fusion between a neighborhood bar & Latin club. The decor is downtown, dim lights, small tables, comfy leather like benches and ottomans. Part of the walls are also padded with the same material of the benches. The drinks are about $5 to $7 and the cover is $5 after 11pm I think. All this and a cool predominantly Sexy Latin crowd makes for a very Hip Place. The Music is mostly Latin pop (Shakira, Chayanne, Luis Miguel), Rock en Espa?ol and some Salsa & Merengue. The place was not made for dancing, but hey the music can sometimes dictate otherwise. If dont want to travel downtown, go to Arka and save your cab fare and the high $$ cover charges of most downtown places.